Simple, Easy-to-Follow Directions on How to Get a Name Written on a Birthday Cake

A couple of years ago our daughter Emily had a birthday party at our house. The day before her party, I had a particularly bad day at work. When I got home my husband, Del, wanted to go to Wal-Mart to get her a cake and a gift. I really didn't feel like going, I had already bought her a few small gifts so I told him to purchase another game for her Game Boy and to pick her up a birthday cake.

The instructions were simple enough; I didn't believe there was any reason to think he would mess that up.

Once again in our 10 years together, I stand corrected.

The following day my husband, my oldest daughter Nikki and I had a little party for her at home. The cake was chocolate with vanilla frosting- with one small problem- he didn't have "Happy Birthday" or Emily's name put on the cake.

I thought that it was odd that he wouldn't have her name put on it, but didn't mention it to him. My daughter Nikki on the other hand, did.

"Why isn't her name on the cake?" Nikki asked him.

"They didn't have any with names on them, just the plain ones." Del said.

Standing in the middle of the kitchen, holding the blank "supposed' birthday cake (because it didn't even say "Happy Birthday" so it could have been anything, really) Nikki froze and stared at Del.

After several moments of silence she finally asked "Are you freaking serious?"

She turned to me and asked "Mom, he is kidding, right?"

"What?" Del asked both of us because he could see the simple stupid looks on our faces.

Del honestly didn't know that they didn't put out a variety of cakes with names written on them daily. I guess he thought you just got lucky if you went to the store and got a cake with your kids name written on it on the same day it happens to be their birthday. Maybe like winning a birthday cake lottery or something?

He really is a pretty intelligent guy. I know this story isn't helping his case at all but really, he is. He can walk, chew gum, tie his shoes drive and locate the local Wal-Mart.

I really should have been there when he bought Emily's cake because it isn't something he has ever done alone. I've always been the one in charge of birthday cake purchases. I assumed with his qualifications of being able to get to the store alone, he would be okay. It never occurred to me to tell him he would have to pick out the cake and then take it to the bakery counter to have them put her name on it.

It really is that simple. You go into the store, choose the cake you want then take it to the bakery counter and tell them what you want written on the cake.

For the fun of it- and because we are people who love cake- my daughter Nikki went to the store with Del to purchase another cake so he could see first hand how it is done.

Because she thinks she is funny (and she is), Nikki told the girl at the bakery counter to write "Your name here" on the cake.

The girl behind the counter asked Nikki how to spell 'here'.

So if you are looking for a job in a bakery, spelling isn't a requirement for the job.

Since then my husband and daughter have come home with different cakes that have different things written on them. "I'm yummy." "Please eat me." "Under this vanilla frosting is marble, don't be fooled."

This information can be used for any occasion - Birthday, Anniversary, Graduations or Retirements. There are no limits on having anything written on a cake.